Dear Bob, here are some photos of my life here on the campus of Concordia Seminary. I love kids, working with the grounds crew, swimming, playing with my dog friends, and especially my own family people.

MAtH: "As you slide down the banisters of life, may the splinters never point the wrong way."

Me: Huh?

MAtH: That's an Irish blessing I learned when we played on the stairs in grade school.

Me: And you remember it?

MAtH: Sure, I didn't realize it was Irish til later.

Me: Well, here's the question to Dianne: "My husband and I are going to his friend's birthday party that is on
St. Patrick's Day. It is a milestone birthday and my husband has been
asked to "say a few words." He has a couple of stories to tell from
their high school days, but he wants to end with something serious.
Could you give us a couple of appropriate (Irish verses) or words?"

MAtH: And Dianne said?

Me: Here's where it gets confusing, her suggestions don't sound very Irish to me.

MAtH: You being more than a little Irish.

Me: Yes, and you realize I stopped apologizing years ago for diluting your unaltered German family line.

MAtH: You can never apologize enough.

Me: Anyway, here's what she told this person: "The test of Gold is Fire. The test of Truth is Time. The test of God's
love are the heavens above, and everything sublime. Treasures in life
are many, dreams realized but few, but I know the test of God's
goodness, is when he gave me a friend like you."

MAtH: That sounds more like a Hallmark card.

Me: I thought so too. She added this: "My the luck of the Irish (continue to) posses you. May the devil
(continue to) fly off with your worries. My God (continue to) bless you
forever and ever."

MAtH: Why are the continue to's in parantheses? And why does she use the word My instead of May?

Me: I have no idea. But she then wrote: "Plus: "Happy Birthday my dear friend."

MAtH: Does she think adding the words "my dear friend" makes it sound more Irish?

Me: I guess, but I don't believe many men would end remarks like that.

MAtH: I bet there are lots of Irish blessings.

Me: I guess you'd need the internet to look them up.

MAtH: haha

Me: "May you have the hindsight to know where you've been, the foresight to know where you're going and the insight to know when you're going too far."

MAtH:"May you live to be a hundred years, with one extra year to repent."

Me: "May the saddest day of your future be no worst than the happiest day of your past."

MAtH: "May the blessings of each day be the blessings you need the most."

Me: Anyway, the Irish love their blessings and toasts. MAtH: I wonder if Germans have old blessings.Me: Hahahaha. MAtH: Why are you laughing?

Me: "Our family is a circle of love and strength. With every birth and every union, the
circle grows. Every joy shared adds more love. Every crisis faced together makes the
circle stronger."